Sheriff's Deputy Injured During DWI Arrest

Guilford County, NC -- A sheriff's deputy with the Guilford County Sheriff's Office was injured during a DWI arrest in Greensboro late Thursday night.

MCpl. Stokes arrested Johnny Junior Patterson on I-40/85 in the South Elm Street area for a DWI charge and placed him in his cruiser shortly before midnight, according to the sheriff's office. The driver of another vehicle hit the back of Stokes's cruiser on the driver's side.

Col. Randy Powers said, "The driver of the vehicle said they did see his vehicle. The lights were very bright, but for some reason, they did not switch lanes and they ran into it, were estimating between 50 and 60 miles per hour."

Deputies said the driver, Marie Nobles Blackstock, and her passenger were taken to the hospital along with Stokes and Patterson for minor injuries.

Patterson was charged with DWI, Open Container, Speeding and Failure to Maintain Lane of Travel by the sheriff's office. Blackstock was charged with Failure to Move Over and Failure to Reduce speed by the Greensboro Police Department.

Deputy Stokes is home recovering from his injuries.

The incident has other law enforcement agents thinking about their safety as well. Trooper Greg Ingram with the NC Highway Patrol said, "With all the vehicles we stop on the highways, we are just one vehicle away from maybe being the one that's being struck."